An Ecstatic Success

GIUSEPPE PENNISI visitsthe Sagra Musicale Malatestiana

In Italy, and not only in Italy, Rimini is generally known as a beach resort on the Adriatic Coast. It is very crowded with happy-go-lucky youngsters during the summer months. In the autumn, it is one of the preferred spots for the retired; prices are lower, the climate is mild, the sky and sea are blue and there are many bridge clubs.

Few music lovers are aware that Rimini is also the location of one the most interesting music festivals, called 'Sagra Musicale Malatestiana' after the Malatesta family which in the Renaissance ruled the city and the surrounding areas and built some interesting monuments. The 'Sagra Musicale' is at its 61st edition; it is financed nearly entirely by local sponsors; in 2010 it lasts from 4 August to well into the autumn...